Rebel TMC MPs' Move To NCPI Catches Party Off Guard: 'We Had No Information'

Last Updated:June 15, 2026, 13:58 IST

NCPI state youth general secretary Titas Bhattacharya said that party leaders were caught by surprise by the announcement and are still trying to understand the situation.

TMC Rebellion: The Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), the little-known regional political outfit that suddenly found itself at the centre of a major political development after 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs announced their merger with it, has said that it had no prior knowledge of the move and remains unclear about the details.

While exclusively speaking to CNN-News18, NCPI state youth general secretary Titas Bhattacharya said that party leaders were caught by surprise by the announcement and are still trying to understand the situation.

“We did not have any information about this. We are confused and we don’t have any clarity right now," Bhattacharya said, adding that the party might hold a press conference on Tuesday to explain its position.

According to Bhattacharya, the outfit was formed in 2023 and had contested elections in Tripura as well as local body polls in West Bengal. He also rejected suggestions that the party was founded by any single individual.

“This is our party. There is not one founder; there are many founding members. I am the state youth general secretary," he said.

Despite the uncertainty, the party welcomed the entry of the rebel MPs.

“We are happy that senior politicians have joined us. We had a small platform and it has grown," he said, while adding that discussions within the party were still underway.

Similar remarks were made by NCPI founder member Shantanu Dey, who said he had only learned about the development recently.

“We formed this party. Yesterday I heard that big people have joined. We welcome them in every way," Dey said.

The NCPI, a Registered Unrecognised Political Party, was registered with the Election Commission in January 2023 ahead of the Tripura Assembly elections. Despite being headquartered in West Bengal, the party made its electoral debut in Tripura and has remained largely outside mainstream political discourse.

Party documents list Shewly Kundu as the treasurer. She is also a director in two organisations registered at the same address as the political party: Biswabazar Private Limited (director since November 2021) and Paschim Banga Asangathita Mahila Karmi Association (director since October 2020), an organisation involved in social work activities.

The party shot into the spotlight after 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs announced their merger with the NCPI, a move that could significantly alter the political landscape in Parliament.

However, the development has also raised questions about the nature of the merger, with NCPI leaders themselves saying they are awaiting internal discussions before providing further clarity on the party’s future course.

Meanwhile, TMC leaders have sharply criticised the move, with party veteran Saugata Roy dismissing the merger as “ridiculous" and questioning how MPs elected on the Trinamool symbol could justify joining an obscure regional outfit.

“It will be looked at with regret. Call them rebels, or call them traitors, they will leave disgraced. They won the election on the party symbol just a month or two ago, and now they are leaving the party. Who is joining what, and where is the proof of this? There will never be a greater opportunity than a vote of confidence," he said.

About the Author

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre...Read More

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